[hopper146]

My T400 on my 69 has always been hard to shift....cable slides easy, shifter moves freely. Just always hard to shift any thoughts?...

[rohrt]

Sounds like you need to troubleshoot with a process of elimination. I would assume this is a counsel and not a column shift?

I would first disconnect the trans and try the shifter
Then you would have to remove the counsel around the shift and remove the shifter cable at that end and try it.

Could just be a gummed up shifter mechanism.

[hopper146]

As i said. Cable slides freely. Shifter is clean and smooth. Just when it's hooked to the trans it is soo stiff. Trans is freshly built, but shifts the same as it did before the rebuilding.

[hopper146]

Oh. Console shift. Dash and column lock out linkages disconnected for header clearance.

[TedRamAirII]

Be sure your geometry is right at the bracket/cable/arm on the trans. Does it shift easy at the trans with the cable disconnected? I had a 67 GTO that shifted like butter.

[hopper146]

Trans seems tight but not excessive. My gto shifts light. Everything looks as it should. Wondering if a longer arm on the trans would help. Might throw everything way off though. Was just wondering if anyone else had this problem.

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by hopper146

Trans seems tight but not excessive. My gto shifts light. Everything looks as it should. Wondering if a longer arm on the trans would help. Might throw everything way off though. Was just wondering if anyone else had this problem.

The arm radius is one length only, or else it gets all weird (shifting from 1st into 1.5 gear, etc.). Is it a stock shift shaft lever arm? Some of the aftermarket shift arms from B&M, etc. have 3 different holes to use, and that can change your leverage in certain gears/positions if you are not in the right hole.

Any odd shift cable routing?

[hopper146]

Stock shifter. Straight cable run. Just tore everything apart and cleaned and relubed. What a stiff shift. I'm thinking it must be the trans itself. But it doesn't seem that tight.

[Squidward]

Unless the manual shift valve is sticking in the valve body bore, the only other thing determining tightness is the tension spring/roller riding on the rooster comb/detent. There is a retaining nut and linkage associated with the manual shift shaft to actuate the manual shift valve, maybe something in that nut/linkage came loose. It would require dropping the pan to see it, but is easily accessible after that. In the attached pic, the shift shaft goes in at the bottom right, and has 2 linkages attached: One goes to the park pawl over on the bottom left. The other linkage goes to the manual shift spool valve in the valve body. You can also see the roller tipped piece of spring steel that rides on the "rooster" comb detent. That gives you your "click, click" when you move positions.

If you have already eliminated shifter and cable, then the only thing I could think of is a buggered up linkage. A stuck spool valve seems unlikely if the tranny shifts into all gears.

[max 93]

I would double check the cable. I had a new repo cable and worked fine when not installed. But when installed with the slighted bend it was stiff. I bought a a cable from shift works and it works perfect. I believe the have a video on their site that shows what I'm talking about.

[frankyboy455]

I remember having heard from someone who installed a repro cable and it was a bit too long and stiffer.